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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · scale · vault · pit · fine · pitch · ball · row

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pit — in a race
  3. hand — in cards
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pitch — completely
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. scale — in music
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. scale — size or range
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. fine — high quality
  12. hand — help
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fine — all right
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. row — a line
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. row — to paddle
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pitch — a sales talk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com